Recently, many citizens of Tampa Bay have fallen victim to a scam that could be hard to spot for the untrained eye. Individuals have even come forward to our own attorneys claiming that they have fallen victim. The scam involves a phone call from somebody posing as a law enforcement officer, insisting that the recipient of the call has an outstanding warrant for their arrest due to missing jury duty, and that they should pay a bond ASAP to avoid arrest. “Green Dot” pre-paid cards are the primary method of payment used in the scam, as the scammers have been requesting that the victim purchase these cards worth the amount that they owe, and pay the “bonds” in order to avoid arrest. The St. Petersburg police department even stated that one 84-year-old victim was taken for $12,000 by this scam.
Police are advising those contacted to hang up and immediately call their local law enforcement. If you or anyone you know has been victimized by this scam, it is important you reach out to local law enforcement and assist in the arrest of those at fault. Remember, if you seem unsure about any conversation of the sort, you should request the “officer” to provide some sort of badge number or ID and request to verify the information with the local authority.